Natural Silk Flowers Are Awesome

Cleaning up the place a little!

To begin, everyone, please be safe, and care for one another as you would like to be cared for.
Sounds simple enough but when you see how quickly things change it sometimes is difficult to keep up.
When we buy something new or give a gift you never think about that day when it stops working and becomes useless but eventually we or someone we know will face that. On that day when it is new though, it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, perfectly clean and scratch free. Well as time goes by it changes, not because you want it to but because you can't stop it, so now maintenance and upkeep become necessary to help keep that new look. A few items you are familiar with that will be a big help to complete this project.

You must be careful to not cause damage to it, so now you are thinking, how do I do this. Well like most things nowadays you can find information on the internet, how did we ever get along without it. Usually the manufacturer of the item is a good place to start but somethings don't have tags or labels that clearly identify what it is and what it is made of. For example a silk flower, if you received a gift of a silk flower arrangement and after a few years it needed to be cleaned how would you do it? Now this is where the be safe part comes in, there are products sold that are for that very thing but please read the label and follow directions to avoid being hurt or causing damage to something.

Now: several recipes that I found on the internet are safer than others, and anything you buy in the store to provide this cleaning service is going to come with a warning label so be prepared with plastic trash bags and string or twist ties, clean towels, rubber gloves, and safety glasses would not be a bad idea in most cases. If you try a vacuum be very careful to control the power of the vacuum it could work well in some situations but not so well in others, definitely worth a try.

Recipe #1. Flammable Mixture: Do this outside. Before beginning, Spot Check your work in an inconspicuous place to confirm color fastness and the performance is to your liking. Mix equal parts of isopropyl alcohol and water in a (ie: re-purposed spray bottle) spray bottle and spray the plant starting at the top and work your way to the bottom.
For example: 1/2 cup of alcohol and 1/2 cup of water.
CAUTION: ALCOHOL IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE!

Re-purposed  Spray bottle

 It is recommended that you wrap the pot or planter with plastic (trash bag) to prevent it from being soiled during the cleaning process and to keep it dry. The alcohol and water work together to clean the surface, the water helps carry the dirt away while the alcohol helps it dry quickly.

Recipe #2. Mix equal parts of White Vinegar and Water in a spray bottle and use to rinse the plants from top to bottom. Spot Check your work in an inconspicuous place to confirm color fastness and the performance is to your liking. It is recommended that you wrap the pot or planter with plastic (trash bag) to prevent it from being soiled during the cleaning process and to keep it dry.

Recipe #3. Put it in the shower or outside in the rain.

Recipe #4. Go to Walmart and find a cleaner that you want to use.

Whichever way you decide to clean your silk flowers, be careful, use protective equipment, and follow the directions. If a silk plant is dusted frequently or whenever you dust, it will have less chance of getting a heavy build up of dust on it and will stay pretty longer. If a heavy build has been achieved then it may be necessary to use a small brush and brush each leaf and petal and all of the branches from top to bottom, sometimes a cool hair dryer can be useful to dislodge old dust. In most cases you should be able to revive the arrangement and bring its original beauty out again. It's just like keeping your car clean or your bedroom clean, its part of that discipline that comes with having anything nice.

Before and After images of a dirty plant back to a clean plant, to get that great job just apply some of these simple steps and have some gratifying success in your day,
That's Fantastic!!